Saturday, October 17, 2009

Gilmer 45, Chapel Hill 7

Courtesy Photo / KLTV.comTEVIN GODFREY dashes into the end zone, finishing a 62-yard touchdown play which started with a short pass from QB Stump Godfrey only 37 seconds after the game had begun between Gilmer and Chapel Hill at Buckeye Stadium.

Buckeyes cruise past Chapel Hill, 45-7

By JOE DODD

The top-ranked Gilmer Buckeyes put it in overdrive for a 35-0 first half lead against district rival Chapel Hill, and then shifted to cruise control in the second half of a 45-7 win over the Bulldogs Friday night at Buckeye Stadium.The victory was the Buckeyes’ 41st straight in district play and the 33rd consecutive for the Buckeyes at home.

“I had heard before that when you got off the bus it was already 14-0,” said first year Chapel Hill head coach Thomas Sitton. “I felt like we were intimidated a little bit just playing over here.”

It wasn’t 14-0 when the Bulldogs got off the bus, but it was close, as the Buckeyes scored twice in their first three offensive plays to take a 14-0 lead with only 2:44 off the clock.

“They are, without a doubt, the best team we’ve played all year,” said Sitton after the game. “It’s hard to match their intensity. It’s hard to match the speed. We tried to, but we just didn’t get it done tonight.”

“The speed of the game is so different against Gilmer. Their operational time is so fast; they snap the ball so quickly. You can’t simulate it in practice,” said Sitton, who saw the Bulldogs fall to 0-2 in district play.

Gilmer quarterback Stump Godfrey started the Buckeyes’ offensive onslaught on the game’s second play when he hit Tevin Godfrey with a quick pass out on the right sideline. The senior receiver did the rest, taking it 68 yards for a touchdown just 37 seconds into the game. Adan Olivares kicked the first of six extra points for a 7-0 lead.

“We practiced that all week, and I just gave him a little fake, caught the ball, and went for the end zone,” said Tevin Godfrey, who finished the game with 99 yards on four catches.

After the Buckeyes’ Black Flag Defense set the tone with a 3-and-out series on the Bulldogs’ first possession, Gilmer’s offense took over at their own 38-yard line.

After two consecutive false starts by the Buckeyes, that pushed the ball back to the 28-yard line, Godfrey dropped back and hit Tristan Holt down field for a 72-yard touchdown. The senior receiver split two defenders at the Bulldogs’ 34-yard line and ran untouched for a 14-0 advantage with 9:16 remaining in the first quarter.

Gilmer’s defense pushed the Bulldogs backwards eight yards in three plays on their next possession, giving the Buckeyes’ offense the ball back at their 45-yard line.This time, Gilmer kept it on the ground, covering the 55 yards on five rushes and scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run from receiver Ben Griffith for a 21-0 first quarter lead.“They have some great athletes and if their chili stays hot, they can run with us, so we had to get them down early,” explained Tevin Godfrey about the importance of the Buckeyes’ offensive explosion.

The large deficit seemed to awaken the Bulldogs on their next offensive series, as they moved the football deep into Gilmer territory on a 10-play drive that took 5:27 off the clock. The threat was stopped when Buckeyes’ senior linebacker Mikey Wilson intercepted a Jordan Williams pass in the end zone and returned it to the 13-yard line.

Gilmer responded with their own long drive, going 87 yards in nine plays, scoring on a 5-yard wide receiver screen from Stump Godfrey to Braylon Webb, who bulled his way into the end zone carrying three Chapel Hill defenders with him for a 28-0 lead with 10:02 left in the second quarter.

“Our receivers have the ability to make plays after the catch,” praised Stump Godfrey, who finished the game with 283 yards and three touchdowns while completing 16 of 22 passes. “It’s great to have receivers like them that make the quarterback look good.”Chapel Hill’s next series lasted only two plays thanks to Buckeyes’ safety Paul Chesnut who made an amazing sideline hugging interception at the Bulldogs’ 46-yard line.

Six plays later, Gilmer running back Vance Green took the handoff on a perfectly executed draw play straight up the middle, untouched into the end zone from eight yards out for a 35-0 lead with 6:43 to play in the first half.

Another 3-and-out effort from the Buckeyes’ defense gave Gilmer the football back at the 50-yard line.

The Buckeyes got to the Bulldogs’ 9-yard line before settling for a 32-yard field goal attempt from Olivares that missed just left of the uprights right before half time.That was the only thing that didn’t go the Buckeyes’ way in the first half as Gilmer dominated with a 350-58 total yardage advantage.

“We played real well, I was very pleased,” said Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor, who credited his 28 seniors. “Our seniors really focus. They come out ready to play every game. They just don’t have letdowns. They’re a lot of fun to coach.”

Gilmer kept the intensity high at the beginning of the second half as the Black Flag defense started with another three-and-out against the Bulldogs on their opening series, giving the football to the offense at the 50-yard line.

Five plays later, junior running back Gus Osborne scored from four yards out for a 42-0 Gilmer lead with 8:32 to play in the third quarter. It was Osborne’s first touchdown of the season after missing five games from an injury suffered in the season opener against Jasper.

The Bulldogs started their next possession in great field position thanks to a 50-yard kickoff return by KeAndre Goss to the Buckeyes’ 38-yard line. The Bulldogs would get down to the Gilmer 13-yard line before the Buckeyes’ defense sacked quarterback Avery Saenz three consecutive plays to take over on downs at their own 49-yard line.

The Buckeyes’ offense took the football down to the Chapel Hill 24-yard line before Olivares hit a 41-yard field goal with 2:29 left in the third quarter for a 45-0 lead.

Chapel Hill’s next series ended after the Bulldogs gained 32 yards on six plays, giving Buckeyes’ backup quarterback Luke Turner the football at the Gilmer 25-yard line.

The Buckeyes’ offense was out of sync, suffering a quick 3-and-out, allowing Turner to punt for the first time since the Daingerfield game.

Chapel Hill took over at their 45-yard line and quickly moved deep into Buckeyes’ territory on a 15-yard pass from Williams to Kedray Hollins and a 39-yard keeper by Williams. Two plays later, Williams scored on a 1-yard keeper. Alberto Lopez kicked the extra point to make the score 45-7 with 6:35 left in the game.

“It would have been nice to get another shutout, but we’ll take the win,” said Chesnut, who helped the Gilmer defense hold Chapel Hill to only 128 total yards.

Gilmer’s offense got back on track their final possession, going 55 yards in eight plays before taking a knee at the Bulldogs’ 6-yard line to run out the clock.

“They play hard. They play fair. They play tough. And they’ve got some kids that can really play the game,” summed up Sitton.